Portable gate



June 16, 1936: V THOMAS 2,044,265

PORTABLE GATE Filed April 2, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR A TTORNEY June 16, 1936. w G, H TH 2,044,265

PORTABLE GATE Filed April 2, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 X as; ATTORNEY Patented June 16, 1936 2 Claims.

This invention relates to gates, more particularly to gates whose panel or panels will operate in a vertical plane, and has as one of its objects to provide a gate that is complete within itself, self contained, and that forms an integral unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gate that is portable, and by its portable nature may be readily placed for use or that as readily may be removed for any cause, or transported for use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gate that may be termed automatic in operation, having a weight operated opening mechanism and a spring actuated closing mechanism, both contained within its frame structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gate constructed of members arranged whereby the individual members answer double purposes, spacing and bracing each other, for strength, support and compactness, with relatively light weight.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gate that may be rapidly installed, that has an unobstructed throughway, that is comparatively cheap to manufacture, and that is highly eficient in operation.

With these and other objects in view reference is now had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a two panel gate (the treads and blocks being removed) with one of its panels being shown in the open position,

- and with the second panel being shown in the closed position, showing the versatility of the gate;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the gate; and

Fig. 3 is a half plan view of the frame in its relative location with the threshold, treads and blocks.

Having reference to the drawings like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views and the numeral I refers to the gate in its entirety, which consists in general of a closure 2, the closure being preferably made up of panels 3 as shown, and a frame 1.

The panels may be of board or other construction that will provide the closure 2 and in the drawings are shown supported by a pivot 5 whereby the panels will move in a vertical plane about their pivot in the opening or closing operation.

The opening operation is accomplished automatically by means of a movable threshold 6 which, from its position when installed in the frame 4, will be termed a substructure, and this substructure is extended slightly at both ends 1 thereof to a point beyond the pivotal point 5, for a purpose to be presently explained.

Each panel 3 is projected at its lowermost outer corner i. e. away from the pivot, to provide a short lever B utilizing the pivot 5 as a fulcrum.

The levers 8 are positioned complemental to the projected ends of the substructure 6, and are pivotally attached thereto by straps or links 9, secured in place by suitable bolts, or equivalent means, and the assembly is automatically actuated by means of a runway l consisting preferably of treads ll having their inner ends mounted on the substructure and disposed in parallel relation and spaced properly to accommodate the wheels of vehicles in passing through the gate.

While the outer ends l2 of the treads may rest on the ground in practice a block 13, having notches it therein to receive the said ends I2, is to be preferred for obvious reasons, the ends l2 of the treads II being securely maintained in operable position therein and secured likewise in the substructure 6 by similar notches l5.

By this assembly it is now obvious that any object on the tread, having sufficient weight, will automatically press the substructure B downward, the links 9 attached thereto in turn pulling down ward on the lever 8 of the panel 3, when the panel will raise in a vertical plane about the pivot to open the closure.

It is evident by reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings that one end of the substructure may be depressed at a time where the weight is sufficient and applied to one tread only, thus opening one panel only for passage of say a person on horseback or even an individual.

To support the closure and opening mechanism an integral and. self supporting frame 4 is provided which consists of a multiplicity of members assembled in a manner to brace each other at their intersections; to properly space each other; to brace, support, contain and protect the panels and their opening mechanism; and by its position in relation to the panels to accommodate an automatic closing mechanism l6 therefore which will be presently explained.

The members include footing members IT, a transverse member I8, and vertical members l9 forming guide posts and are constructed of any suitable or usual material, and these will now be explained:

The footing members I I are two in number and are distributed one on either side and a distance apart substantially equalling the width of the throughway of the gate. They are further positioned opposite and parallel to. each other, and parallel to the throughway, and in such position to provide a substantial footing whereby to support the gate, and maintain it in an erect position without projected bracing such as posts set in the ground, guying, or the like.

The transverse member 18 spans the throughway and is rigidly secured perpendicular to, upon, and intermediate the ends of the footing members H, by bolts or other suitable means, whereby proper spacing of the footing members obtains and by this arrangement the following condition presents itself:

By reference to Fig. 1 it is apparent that the span of the transverse member [8 is relatively long as compared with the cross section of the beam forming this transverse member, and as a consequence thereof it is obvious that a certain degree of resiliency may be established in this member due to its inherent yielding qualities.

To take advantage of this yielding quality its length is further increased by extending its ends 29, on the cantilever structure principle, beyond the footing members I! where, as will be noted as the specifications proceed the ends 20 thereof will be positioned in the path of the opening panel 3.

It is now apparent that if a sudden jar occurs on the outer end of the transverse member that the jar will be communicated to the center of the beam and be alleviated by the above mentioned resiliency, and consequently with a bumper post 2 I rigidly secured to the respective ends 29 of the transverse member l8 there will be provided a main bumper wherewith to intercept the panel 3 at the completion of its opening movement, and communicate the jar incident thereto to the yielding beam 19, across the fulcrum formed by the footing members l1.

Obviously this movement in a vertical plane of the transverse member I8 will rock the footing members, this rocking movement however is infinitesimal and may, in view of the free arrangement of the guide posts I9 (to be explained) be ignored as it will offer substantially no resistance to the yielding movement of the member l8 Positioning the two members mentioned perpendicularly provides for a substantial union, each member bracing the other, and further bracing is accomplished by the addition of vertical members providing the guide posts l9 above mentioned which are spaced in two directions and which will now be explained:

The guide posts l9 consist of two pairs of vertically positioned posts secured at one end only to the transverse member and each pair is spaced apart by and equal to the thickness of that member to which they are integrally secured on either side thereof perpendicularly.

Each post of the pair is further secured in a vertical position by being extended downward to lay contiguous to the said footing member to which it is also rigidly and perpendicularly secured whereby a rigid self bracing unit is provided. The unit now forms an integral frame and provides well braced guide posts having their upper ends free of restrained movement. The pairs of posts ii! are spaced apart on the transverse member the full width of the throughway and thus provides a free passageway for vehicles when the gate is open, without any obstructing parts interfering.

The transverse member i8 is selected with a thickness that will provide the proper spacing of the respective posts of the pair l9 and also provides by this spacing to receive and guide the substructure 6 which latter is of necessity a thicker member as it must carry every load thereon, and which for this reason has its ends chamfered, as at 23', for slidable engagement by the said posts l9, whereby to permit free movement in a vertical plane of the substructure, above the transverse member l8.

The spacing of each pair of posts I9 is such as to contain and guide the panels 3 in their movement therebetween, and the panels are pivotally supported therein by means of the said pivot 5 which may be a bolt or other suitable means, the pivot preferably passing through both posts of the pair to assist securing the posts together, with the panels mounted thereon by means of a suitable bearing not shown.

For this purpose of movement the substructure 6 is normally positioned a distance above the transverse member l8 slightly in excess of its distance of vertical travel during operation of the opening mechanism, thereby permitting unobstructed vibratory movement of the central part of the transverse member due to the aforesaid jar.

The guide posts l9 are further disposed in cooperable relation with said panels 3 to protect these members between the two posts of each pair and for this purpose the pivotal mounting therefore is positioned oii center in the posts as pose of accommodating the automatic closing mechanism 16 to be secured to and rearwardly of the posts l9 and rear edge of the panel 3, as will now be explained.

The closing mechanism l6 consists of a yielding means having sufiicient strength to move the panel 3 about its pivot 5, in the absence of load, to the closed position, and in view of the portable nature of the gate I and the consequent omission of supporting parts, such as posts, pulleys, ropes, etc., that is eliminated thereby this means consists of a clip 24, rigidly attached to the rearedge 25 of the panel, which clip may be secured thereto in any suitable manner, and in which is mounted a yoke 26 hingedly'engaged by said clip 24.

The clip and yoke are positioned with respect to the pivotal mounting of the panel above that mounting when the panel is in the closed posisubstructure 6, the panels will be yieldinglyrestored to the closed position.

The yoke 2-6 is provided with outwardly extending arms 2'! to locate the arms in line with the respective adjacent guide posts IQ, for a purpose to be explained.

Attached to the upper part of the said posts I9 is a bracket 28 and depending therefrom are springs 29 which form the above mentioned yielding means, and these springs are adapted to engage the yoke arms 2'! with their lower ends, and to engage an adjusting means at their upper ends, which adjusting means consists of a th'readed rod 30 passed through the bracket and provided with a nut 3| whereby the tension of the two oppositely positioned springs 29 may be equalized and adjusted.

It is now evident that with sufiicient weight applied to the opening mechanism described that the closure will be opened and that when the weight is removed that the closing means IE will automatically close the gate.

However, the closing means will have natural tendency to close the panels 3 with considerable force as ordinarily after the panels reach a certain vertical point in their closing movement gravity will augment the power of the said springs and thus cause the panels to strike the substructure 6 with a force detrimental to the panel structure.

To overcome this eifect a suitable threshold bumper 32, in the form of a block, is suitably secured to and positioned on the substructure 6 to intercept the closing panels, and this block may be shod with rubber (not shown) to further break the jar if desired, which jar is communicated through the substructure 6 and links 9, back to the panels 3, and finally to their pivot 5. This is undesirable for obvious reasons and a second or panel bumper is therefore provided for cooperable relation with the frame 4 as follows:

In Fig. 1, by noting the open panel, it will be observed that each adjusting means, spring and yoke arm are in a straight line induced by the tension of its respective spring.

It will also be noted by referring to the closed panel in the same figure that the line of these parts is now bent at the point of communication of the lower end of the spring with the arm.

This bend is due to a roller 33 of relatively large diameter that is shown mounted on the end of the said arms 27, which, by its diametral dimensions contacts the posts l9 just before the panel is finally closed.

Now, were the spring engaged directly with the clip 24 its influence during the closing movement would progressingly decrease until the panel was closed when the pull of the spring would be substantially directly from the pivot 5 and its effect on the closing panel would be nil. But, with the spring engaging the arms 21 at some distance from the connection with the clip 24%, the straight line ceases at the moment of contact between the roller and the post and from that moment the tension of the spring increases as the roller, due to the continued advance of the clip, is retracted, and moving in an are about the clip the yoke arm increases the distance between that member and the bracket thereby placing the spring again under tension whereby the effect of the tension is applied to the arms and provides, with the posts forming bumper plates, a panel bumper wherewith to restrain the panel from striking the threshold bumper severely.

Obviously changing the size of the roller will increase the tension of the bumper so formed, and it is further obvious that the same efiect may obtain by substituting for the rollers a bend (not shown) in the arms that is positioned to intercept the posts in a like manner to the rollers.

This however is not approved due to the wear on the said posts which would thus occur unless plates (not shown) were added which would also entail added expense.

By this design and arrangement of parts a simply constructed automatically operable gate is provided that by centralized or localized construction may be readily obtained in the market, transported to location, and as readily installed for use.

The gate proper is an integral unit and is adapted for use either directly on the surface of the ground or in an excavation which may be made therefore in the form of an H in which the footing and transverse members will rest.

The depth of excavation used need only be slight at the most as the treads compensate for any reasonable difference in elevation between the ground surface and the top of the threshold.

For this purpose and for the purpose of packing for shipment, or for local transportation, the treads are separable and are merely laid in place at installation, notches I5 being provided in the substructure for the purpose of maintaining proper spacing thereof at the substructure.

The outer ends of the said treads may rest upon the surface of the soil, as before mentioned, or in like notches l 4 in the said block l3, and the blocks in turn can be set into the ground or secured in any approved manner, securement being for the purpose of more substantially maintaining the treads in register with the threshold at all times.

For shipping the treads can be laid along side of the panels and secured thereto whereby the panels will be maintained in the closed position and the treads secured compactly.

For transportation the gate can be moved as first above referred to, or by truck or other means, and deposited directly in position for use, when the treads may be removed from the panels and the gate properly installed.

In use the weight of a vehicle, horseman or pedestrian, approaching the closure on the treads, will open the panels thereof by forcing the substructure downward in the manner above described when the main bumper will resiliently stop the panels in their full open position. As soon as the weight is removed from the treads the yielding members will restore the panels to their original closed position, the panel bumpers and threshold bumper easing the jar incident to closing, the panel bumper by engaging the guide posts just before the final closing and the thresh old bumper at the moment of the final closing.

The springs may be adjusted to the proper tension by the adjusting means and the wear is so distributed on the lower fastening means of the springs with the yoke arm's, together with the hinged connection, that long life of the gate is assured.

By the above arrangement a renter, or other person, by stipulation, may move his gate with his other personal property and always have a presentable and conveniently operable gate.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a gate, the combination with gate posts, and a gate panel pivotally attached thereto, of a combined yielding closing mechanism and panel bumper consisting of a yoke hingedly attached to said panel, and provided with rollers secured thereto and adapted to engage said posts, and tension members attached at one end to said yoke and having their remaining ends adjustably attached to said posts above the pivot of said panel and disposed and adapted to cause contact of the said rollers with said posts to increase the tension of said members prior to the closing moment, and afford a panel bumper therefore.

2. In a gate, the combination with a frame, provided with gate posts, and containing pivotally mounted panels, and a weight actuated threshold opening mechanism therefore, of a yielding closing mechanism consisting of tension members attached to said posts and said panels, and provided with a panel bumper interposed between said members and said panels and hingedly attached to said panels, and disposed with relation to the tension members and posts to increase the tension of said members prior to the closing moment of said panels.

GEORGE H. THOMAS. 

